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Music on iMovie

No music is showing up in iMovie even though I have bought it recently through iTunes and it is in my Library. It says that the files are protected and unavailable. Why, and how do I use my music for iMovie.

iPhone XS

Posted on Dec 31, 2019 10:31 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 31, 2019 1:12 PM

Hi, lea2533,


You are getting the "protected and unavailable" message because the music is DRM (copyright) protected. Songs purchased from iTunes from year 2009 or earlier carry DRM protection. Songs purchased from iTunes after year 2009 should be DRM free, but might not be for specific songs. However, songs purchased from Apple Music (as opposed to iTunes) carry DRM protection, even if they afterwards have been downloaded to iTunes. Did you actually purchase your songs recently from iTunes, or was Apple Music somehow involved in the purchase process? In any event, for whatever reason, your songs are showing in iMovie as DRM protected and therefore cannot be used. If they were purchased from iTunes without involvement of Apple Music, then you can subscribe to the iTunes "Match" program to download DRM free matches of your DRM protected songs. I think it costs $24.99 for the subscription, that later can be cancelled. For more info on iTunes Match, open iTunes, click on the Store tab at the top, and scroll down all the way to the bottom. You will see iTunes Match as a listed item in the small print. Click on that to get the info.


-- Rich

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 31, 2019 1:12 PM in response to lea2533

Hi, lea2533,


You are getting the "protected and unavailable" message because the music is DRM (copyright) protected. Songs purchased from iTunes from year 2009 or earlier carry DRM protection. Songs purchased from iTunes after year 2009 should be DRM free, but might not be for specific songs. However, songs purchased from Apple Music (as opposed to iTunes) carry DRM protection, even if they afterwards have been downloaded to iTunes. Did you actually purchase your songs recently from iTunes, or was Apple Music somehow involved in the purchase process? In any event, for whatever reason, your songs are showing in iMovie as DRM protected and therefore cannot be used. If they were purchased from iTunes without involvement of Apple Music, then you can subscribe to the iTunes "Match" program to download DRM free matches of your DRM protected songs. I think it costs $24.99 for the subscription, that later can be cancelled. For more info on iTunes Match, open iTunes, click on the Store tab at the top, and scroll down all the way to the bottom. You will see iTunes Match as a listed item in the small print. Click on that to get the info.


-- Rich

Music on iMovie

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